


Slow and Steady

by fleurofthecourt



Category: Grimm (TV)
Genre: F/F, F/M, M/M, Multi, Polyamory, Polyamory Negotiations
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-12
Updated: 2013-11-12
Packaged: 2018-01-01 06:40:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,048
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1041565
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fleurofthecourt/pseuds/fleurofthecourt
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>As a bad snowstorm keeps Nick at Monroe's and Rosalee at Juliette's, Nick realizes he might have to have a conversation with Monroe that he doesn't exactly want to have.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Slow and Steady

**Author's Note:**

> I believe this fic answers the question, how much build up to a sex scene can you write without actually writing the sex scene? 
> 
> Soooo, yeah.
> 
> Also...I don't even know.

Snow flurries swirled around before falling gently to the dimly illuminated doorstep. Nick pressed both hands against the doorframe, leaning against it, and stared wistfully at the fallen snow. 

He knew he was trapped. 

Well, trapped probably wasn’t the best way to phrase it. He certainly wouldn’t put it that way to Monroe. He just didn’t know how else to put it. 

The problem wasn’t that he didn’t want to test the waters of the budding quartet of a relationship that he, Monroe, Rosalee, and Juliette were building.

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to sleep with Monroe. 

And it _most definitely_ wasn’t that he was worried that he would have to explain why he was worried about sleeping with Monroe. 

Monroe’s hands curled over his shoulder, “Maybe you shouldn’t go home. The roads are looking a little less safe and sound than my house...and, you know, my bed.” 

Nick tipped his head back and, knowing exactly where this was headed, replied nervously, “Juliette’s probably wondering where I’m at.” 

“Yeah, pretty sure Juliette knows where you’re at,” Monroe said quirking his eyebrows. 

“What about Rosalee?” Nick asked. “Won’t she be home soon?” 

“Not that I really see how that matters, she’s at your place,” Monroe said, looking confused and disappointed. 

“She is?” Nick asked. 

“Yeah, she just sent me a text. The roads are bad and your house is closer to the Spice Shop. So she and Juliette are doing, well I don’t want to presume anything, so...they could be doing anything. But anyway, if she’s there, well, you ought, to well,” Monroe said, gesturing weakly for Nick to fill in the blanks. 

“I should probably stay here,” Nick said with a soft sigh. He tried to look less reluctant about the situation than he felt. He knew perfectly well he wasn’t convincing Monroe of anything, though. 

“I’d feel better, and I’m thinking Juliette probably would too,” Monroe said. “But, you know, if you’re worried she’s worried about what we’re going or, uh, not going to do, well, you’ve got a phone.” 

“Yeah, I think I will call her,” Nick said, resting his hand tentatively on Monroe’s shoulder as he started to run his hands down his face. Then, once Monroe looked slightly less uneasy, he ducked into the kitchen with his phone pressed against his ear. 

Monroe stared at him blankly as he walked away.

He waited anxiously for Juliette to pick up, dreading that it would go straight to voicemail.

“Hey Nick, I was about to call you,” Juliette said. “Rosalee sent Monroe a text, but he didn’t reply to it. Tell me you haven’t left yet.” 

“I was just about to,” Nick said. 

“Well, you shouldn’t. The roads are really bad,” Juliette said. “So Rosalee and I are going to have a girls’ night. You and Monroe can have a guys’ night.” 

“And what exactly is girls’ night going to involve?” Nick asked. He had a feeling he knew, and if that feeling were correct, then well, he knew what guy’s night ought to involve as well. He didn’t know how to explain his feelings about this. 

“Well, I was planning on it involving what the four of us have been discussing,” Juliette said. “Is that still okay? Actually, can you put me on speakerphone with you and Monroe? I want to make sure _everyone_ is still okay with this.” 

“You’re going to get Rosalee too?” Nick asked. 

“Well, I don’t really need to,” Juliette said as she started to giggle softly. “Hey, stop that. I’m on the phone.” 

“Hey Nick,” Rosalee said breathily. 

“Hi Rosalee. What are you doing to my girlfriend?” Nick asked playfully. 

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” Rosalee said teasingly. 

Nick laughed. “I would love to, actually.” 

“Well, we can tell you, after you get Monroe,” Juliette said impatiently. “Are you getting him?” 

Nick hesitated, and, apparently, for too long. 

“Nick?” Juliette asked. “If you aren’t okay with this, we don’t have to do it. Really.” 

He wished Juliette hadn’t put Rosalee on speakerphone already. He felt like he could have had this conversation with just her but not both of them. 

“I’m getting Monroe,” Nick said instead, hoping that neither of the girls would notice his blatant deflection. 

Of course, even if they did, he didn’t really give them a chance to comment. 

“Monroe! Rosalee and Juliette want all of us to talk about this,” Nick said, stepping back into the living room, sweeping his hand past the phone, himself, and Monroe. 

“Really? We haven’t hashed this out enough?” Monroe asked, rubbing his hand over his cheek as he slid down the couch towards Nick. “Okay. Okay. I guess too much communication is better than not enough.” 

“Speaking from experience, I would agree with that,” Juliette said. 

Nick grinned warily as Monroe pulled him onto the couch with him. “Have I told you recently how much I love you for being okay with all of this? And I don’t mean...” 

“I know what you mean, and I never mind hearing it,” Juliette said brightly. 

Monroe cleared his throat. 

“Okay. Ground rules?” Rosalee asked. “Is there anything that should be off the table?” 

“No marking,” Monroe said flatly. “I haven’t done it to you; you haven’t done it to me. I’m not going to do it to Nick. So, please, don’t do it to Juliette. It’s too... I don’t know, possessive.” 

Nick relaxed slightly. That covered one of his qualms. 

“I still think it’s kind of romantic,” Rosalee said. 

“Yeah, I know. We can quibble about it later, I guess,” Monroe said gruffly. “But let’s keep Nick and Juliette out of it.” 

“Good idea. We’ve never discussed marking each other,” Nick said. 

“Maybe we will now,” Juliette said, sounding far too enthusiastic for Nick’s comfort. He cringed. 

Monroe noticed, rubbed his hand down his shoulder and whispered, “Well, you’re not Wesen so it wouldn’t be permanent -- probably. So, that’s something.” 

“Yeah, thanks,” Nick said, his eyebrows raised slightly. 

“Is there anything we should say is off limits, Nick?” Juliette asked. 

Nick frowned over the coffee table. 

“Nick?” Monroe prodded. 

“No, nothing I can think of,” Nick said shortly, knowing full well that what he wanted to take off the table was completely impossible. 

“You don’t mind if I use my, uh,” Juliette paused then hesitantly continued, “special weapon on Rosalee?

“If I did, we wouldn’t be having this conversation,” Nick said before mouthing _her tongue_ at Monroe. 

After a brief pause, Monroe asked. “Well, anything else before we, well, get on with it?” 

“I think we’re good if you’re good,” Juliette said.

“Have a good night, guys,” Rosalee said. 

“You too,” Monroe said. Then as he made to hit the end call button, they heard Rosalee asking Juliette where Nick kept his handcuffs. “Though it sounds like they don’t need any encouragement.” 

“I think I made a mistake not saying that my police issued handcuffs were off limits,” Nick said. “Good thing I have them with me.” 

“Oh?” Monroe said cocking his head up in surprise. 

Nick winced. “That wasn’t a suggestion.” 

“Well, way to get a guy’s hopes up,” Monroe said deflated. 

“Sorry,” Nick said before turning his attention to the still falling snow. He just stared out the window, waiting for Monroe to make the next move. 

After what seemed to be some considerable deliberation, Monroe got up and started to head for the stairs. “Look, Nick, it’s late, so I’m heading to bed. The bed in the guest room is still yours, whenever you want or need it, you know, and, well, you know where to find me.” 

“That’s it?” Nick said. 

“Hey, you clearly don’t want to do this,” Monroe said. “I’m not pressing. If you want to talk about why, and it’s not because you’re having second thoughts about this whole, well whatever this is, then I’m all ears. Like I said, you know where to find me.” 

Nick hesitated for a moment, then followed Monroe up the stairs, “I want to talk about it.” 

“Okay... that’s good,” Monroe said, nodding uncertainly as he walked into his bedroom. He left the door ajar for Nick. “I’m still putting on my pajamas.” 

Nick sat down on the end of Monroe’s bed and rested his hands on his thighs. He drew in a deep breath. 

“Man, you look as nervous as I feel,” Monroe said, looking at Nick’s reflection in the mirror as he tossed his sweater vest into a half full laundry basket. “Have you never done it with a guy before? I know you said that didn’t bother you, but I mean, first times for things are always kind of hairy. I guess that’s true even if there’s nothing different about either of you, but...well, is that what it is?” 

Nick shook his head. “No, Monroe, it’s not that. It’s... that you’re a Blutbad...” 

Nick watched as Monroe’s eyes flashed with shock followed by hurt. This -- _this_ was why he didn’t want to say anything. 

“...and I’m a Grimm. I’m worried we’re going to hurt each other.” 

Monroe raised his eyes. He stood motionless, with his hand still firmly wrapped around the neck of the T-shirt he was pulling out of his dresser. Then he started laughing weakly. “Oh god, Nick. I thought you really didn’t want to do this at all or something.” 

The he pulled his T-shirt on before continuing, “Okay. We can work through this. Is there something in particular you’re worried about?” 

Nick didn’t say anything. He’d thought telling Monroe why he was worried was the hard part. But now thinking that guys really shouldn’t be afraid of it being rough, even if there were certain terrible possible outcomes, he thought maybe he was wrong. He stared tight-lipped at the floor. 

Monroe took the opportunity to do what he did best and filled the vacuum left by Nick’s lack of words with his rambling. 

“Well, we covered marking. Maybe I should have sussed out what was bothering you from that. I don’t know. You looked really uncomfortable,” Monroe muttered as he sat down on the bed next to Nick. “Now I feel like I need to tune my Nick reading skills or something.” 

“I really should have said something before now,” Nick said, letting his shoulder fall against Monroe’s, leaning into him. “There’s no reason you would have known. I’m sorry.” 

Monroe wrapped his arm around his shoulder. “Hey, it’s okay. So...let’s see, claws, teeth, primal instincts? Does that about cover it?” 

“Yeah, I think so,” Nick said, looking down again. Now that he knew Monroe wasn’t taking this half as personally as he’d thought he would, he was becoming more embarrassed. 

“We don’t have to be rough,” Monroe said. “I don’t even have to woge. Well, I can try not to, anyway. But we can definitely see what slow and steady feels like before we even consider fast and rough, man. And if that’s what you want, that’s exactly what we’re going to do,” Monroe said. 

A knot in Nick’s stomach started to untwist. It wasn’t as though he’d expected Monroe to not understand. It was just that that the more he thought about it, this whole conversation went against him. 

“Okay,” Nick said, not moving an inch. Then he asked quietly, “Can we not tell the girls about this discussion?” 

“I think I can protect your manliness or Grimmliness or whatever for now, if that’s what you’re worried about. But you do know you’re going to have to have the exact same conversation with Rosalee, right? So, well, my confidence isn’t exactly indefinite,” Monroe said. “And...well...what about Juliette doing this with Rosalee?” 

“We didn’t really talk about it, not much, anyway, but I got the impression she was aroused by the idea of teeth and claws,” Nick said. “She likes it rough. Rougher than I do most of the time.” 

“Then, no wonder you were worried,” Monroe said. “But, really, Nick, we’ll take this as slow as we need to take it.” 

“Well, I have to say, with most of my clothes still on is a little too slow for me,” Nick said as he leaned back onto the bedspread and pulled Monroe down with him. 

“That I think I can tackle,” Monroe said.


End file.
